Friendly Rival
by TrisanaLonelyEyes
Summary: A rivalship between two friends forged by the death of those around them. Can this friendly rivalry stand against this new titan child Eren or will their friendship dynamic change drastically?
1. The Begining of Death

I collapse on the couch set up for our current post outside the walls. It's my first day outside the walls and I've already seen half my team eaten by titans. I managed to kill the titans with the help of my remaining squad members, but the emotional and mental damage has long already been done.

At the academy I ranked around average, mostly from getting in trouble from sneaking off to do my own thing. I loved research and understanding how things worked while doing personality analysis, as a result my test scored were close to perfect in everything but my tendency to do my own thing always got me in trouble with the commanders. Yet today that tendency is what may have saved my life because I was able to take out five titans, it just costed me the life of three teammates that I went to the academy with, who were close friends of mine.

I take a deep breath and throw my arm over my face in the hope that if I don't have sight I won't see their deaths any more. All day I have been plagued with the image of all of them dying over and over again in my head. Catalina, kind and genuinely happy girl, having her head ripped off before the rest of her body being torn in half. Rick, natural born leader, swallowed whole, dissolving in that cursed titan's stomach. I hope my sword gave him indigestion. Then finally there was Temari, she had spunk like no other. She was so kind to everyone, but quick to speak her mind. That strong sense of right and wrong was what sadly led to her death. In the heat of anger she charged in to avenge Rick's and Catalina's death, she never even saw the third titan charging in with it's two friends.

The desk next to me squeaked and I knew it must be Captain Levi. I wanted to be on his team, if not Captain Hange just for her research department, because I've always admired Captain Levi. I was never as poor or as bad off as him, but I grew up without a family and lived in an abandoned shack that I called home so I could relate to a lot of his past. He was the reason I joined the scouting legion and what inspired me to become part of the military.

"How do you do it, Captain Levi?" I pause giving myself a moment to breath before continuing my question. "I just watched my closest friends die before my eyes and even though I avenged them and killed the titans responsible I keep seeing their deaths and blaming myself for not killing those monsters sooner," I snarl out the word monsters to emphasis my great detest for the vile things we call titans.

"You can start by getting your filthy boots off my couch," Levi instructs as he lifts my legs up and drops them back down over his lap while sitting next to me.

"Any other wise knowledge," I ask sarcastically out of annoyance of his dismissal of my pain and his insult of my perfectly clean boots, I had cleaned then before entering the tent.

"Kill them all." I move my arm a little to peak up at Levi. His face was as serious as ever, not that he was one for jokes.

"Is that how you handle it? You aspire to kill all titans." Levi nods his head. It makes sense: killing just the titans that killed my friends will never end this rage and passion I feel. I must destroy all titans that way no one had to die again.

"I'll kill more titans then anyone else," I mumble the deceleration to myself.

.:: 7 years later ::.

I use my 3D moving device to lift my body over towards Levi. I just killed another titan, tying me with my captain; Levi.

"59 titan kills," I brag as I close the few steps different between Levi and I so that we're standing side by side. Levi smirks:

"Three titans in front of us, the first one to kill theirs gets the extra." I smirk back at him and take off to kill the titans. Levi beats me to his titan since he took the one closer to us while sticking me with a 19 meter ugly plump female titan.

"The titan swings quickly at me, but I easily dodged it by ducking under her arm and latching onto her neck. I fling my body forward and slash my blades as deeply as they would go into the titans neck. With this titan dead I race off towards the the 20 meter titan that will be my reward as I kill a single titan more than Levi.

"Where do you think your going," Levi asks while appearing before me as the titan I was after falls behind him. I glare deeply at him. So close to finally beating him.

'I need to get faster,' I think grumpily to myself.

"I'll beat you one of these days."

"Is that all you aspire to?" Levi asks sounding thoroughly bored but I know he's just having fun at my expense.

"No but you must admit that it makes it more enjoyable for both of us." My frown is replaced with a smile as I plop down on the rooftop, surveying the area around.

"We had reports of close to 50 titans in the area before arriving so where have they all gone to." Not a single titan was in sight, not including those that are smoking.

"It's like five years ago." Levi mumbles but instantly grabbing my attention. I hop up without warning feeling the pressure of a sudden urgency.

'I won't let them take more away from me! I will kill them all!' I use my 3D device to propel myself to the stable with our horses. The importance in stopping the threat is impending. I grab the first horse I see and take off at full speed towards Wall Rose.

"All my thoughts are absorbed with the horrific deaths that come at the hands of titans as well as the fear of what will become of our town if we lose Wall Rose. With the sense of urgency increasing I push my horse harder.

"Reina," Levi shouts from behind me in a desperate attempt to get me to slow down and think about what it is I'm doing.

"I have to save them," I shout over my shoulder at Levi, picking up my pace even more.

"I won't have another death hanging over my head when I can save them!" I declare to myself.

"I ride for two days straight without stopping except to change horses. Levi is close behind with the others, but all I care about is getting to Wall Rose in time to save as many people as I can.

"I arrive at the wall and propel myself off the horse and towards the top of the wall. I can hear my group not too far behind me. At the top of the wall the situation is clear: a group trainees are on the field, one has collapsed if not dead, and three of the trainees are about to be eaten. I look over my shoulder to see Levi sitting to the top of the roof. I make a moments eyes contact and know the plan. I let him take the titans as I go to the trainees further assess the situation.

"Come with me," I order all of them while taking the black haired boy in my arms. I shoot off towards the houses leading to the innermost wall; Wall Sina.

"What of your team?" The blonde haired boy asks of me while following closely.

"Captain Levi will take care of the titans closes to us while everyone else with take care of the rest. Our first priority is to get you and the rest of the citizens out of harm's way." I cast a brief glance towards my left where I knew Levi would be.

"Now explain to me why trainees are at the front line?"

"It's a long story but we can explain it to you later," the blonde speaks up again.

"Levi," I shout as two approach us from the right while he's preoccupied with the left flank. Levi turns from the dead titans and begins to address the two new titians when the black haired female with a red scarf takes care of them instead.

"Who ever this girl is she is one of the best I've seen in a long time. She was quick, calculated, and naturally gifted. She seemed to not even bat an eye at the titans. More than likely part of the survivors from five years ago. I truly hope she joins the scouting legion, we could use an asset such as her.

"Girl, you cover the right side. I hope I don't have to explain to you that all of our lives are in your hands. I don't trust people so easily normally so don't mess up." She seemed reliable but I think it best to emphasis the importance of her position. Not unexpected the female ignored me, but did as instructed. Without further altercations we made it to Wall Sina.

"Commander," I greet the head commander of the walls while setting the boy down. "Considering where I found them and the skills of that one," I motion my head to the female, "I'm guessing this is your doing. Care to explain?" Commander Pixis just chuckles at me.

"Always straight to the point, without fail lieutenant Sarkozi," Pixis smile at me as he addresses me with my title and last name.

"There is never time for leisure or jokes when we cross paths, if there was I'd ask you about your day or something first." Sarcastic but polite as ever I naturally show my annoyance.

"I will explain when Commander Erwin arrives." I nod my head and walk over to my Captain.

"You are now eleven behind me." I groan in unhappiness at the news.

"I'll catch up. These three and securing the area was what was our top priority at the time." I look towards the city residing in between Wall Rose and Wall Sina, the body count was clearly high for military with quite a few civilian cases but the scouting legion has manage to kill all of the titans remaining in the wall upon our arrival.

'Today is a victory and no victory is sadly without cost,' I tell myself while taking a moment of silence for those who have died.


	2. Titan Child

I sit in one of the scouting legion's rooms waiting for everyone to return. Most of the scouting legion seems to think that kid I carried is a big help to humanity and can help us in our mission, but I look at the boy and simply see a wretched titan taking human form. To make matters worse Levi is putting me on his team of working with the titan.

 _"You should know by now that I hate titans, why would you put me on this team with a titan? I thought you shared the same feelings as me!" I never raised my voice voice before at Levi but this time I lost it._

 _"He shares the same view as you and I on titans. He didn't know he was titan until the day he used it to plug up the hole in the wall. I believe he's trying to help us, but if he so much as looks the wrong way I'll kill him." Levi was dead serious and the anger seething from his voice proves he still felt the same way and he clearly did not appreciate my doubt in him. It just seemed as if he was taking the titans side._

 _"I still don't trust him, but I trust you." My voice softened greatly compared to just a moment ago._

 _"That's all I'm asking of you." I nod my head with a sigh before collapsing against the couch. Levi picks up my feet and plops them over his legs._

 _"No," I tell him flipping around so that my head is in place is my feet, "better." Levi simply rolls his eyes as I smile up at him._

"When are they going to be back," I grumble while squirming on the couch.

"Levi," I whine as I shift on the couch.

"I never knew you would miss Captain Levi so much Renia," Moblit says jokingly while walking into the room.

"Its not like that and you know it," I shout in retaliation as I throw a pillow at his head. I watch proudly as it hits him square in the head. My humor is short lived when Levi carries in titan child. I try to hold back my anger at the site of him, but looking at the boy lying almost lifeless with his face pounded in. I guess Levi's plan worked and he pounded the hell out of the kid.

'Kid... I just thought of him as a kid... He does look like just a kid right now. I know he is still a titan and shouldn't be trusted, but maybe Levi was correct...'

"Renia," Levi calls snapping me out of my train of thought.

"Yes Levi," I ask jumping to attention.

"Go secure the permitted," he orders sternly. I nod my head and wall outside to guard the room. To most this will seem overly cautious, but to me it makes sense. There are a lot of people out there after this kids head, not that any of them have the balls to do anything.

"We're heading back now," Irvin instructs. We all file out of the hotel, forming a protective barrier around Erin. We arranged for all of us to travel to an old headquarters of the scout legion, for those of us who know Levi we were not looking forward to the week we would spend cleaning. I'm all for a clean environment and everything but Levi takes it beyond obsessive, he has a serious problem.


	3. The Plan

Traveling was rather painless though long. The group was rather eager to intimidate or befriend the titan child. I've grown to accept that he isn't evil but as far as I'm concerned I don't trust him with my life and he is still a titan among us.

"Levi," I begin as I approach him from behind. Everyone is off cleaning our castle of grounds which is why I thought now to be a good time to approach him.

"What is it Renia?" He asks turning around to face me.

"This is my room. Your cleaning is always the best." I smile while lightly chuckling at my serious, joking remark. Levi doesn't let in on it but I know he enjoys my humor.

"I already intended this to be your room." He motions to where all my stuff is nicely put in a stacked pile at the end of the bed.

"You know me so well." Smiling I kiss his cheek before flopping down on what is now my bed. Looking at the ceiling I take a deep breath before I sit up and become serious.

"I'm sure you've already noticed this but just in case I want to bring this up." Levi looks at me with a just as serious expression. "Knowing the enemy, they're going to implant people into our ranks for this incoming group. Titans are not our only enemy any more with that," I pause trying to bring myself to not call him as I really think of him.

"Eren," Levi offers. I nod.

"Yes, Eren, now out in the open he is 'a threat to humanity' and I'm certain that more than just his father knew of town origins and those people as well will be after him." Levi seems unsurprised by what I'm informing him. I figured most of what I'm saying doesn't surprise him.

"We intend to weed those people out with our next trip outside the wall."

"Eren," I say swallowing what I call him mentally despite the struggle within, "isn't the only Titan in disguise or titan within, depending on how you wish to look at it." Despite my views in trying to change my outlook for the sake of this team. "I believe the Armored Titan and Colossal Titan are like," I swallow and allow the name to come out, "Eren."

"We've thought about the possibility but we haven't thought of a way to pluck them out yet."

"We just need to figure out what they want. It seems too thoughtless to just be human kinds downfall and it was well thought out based on the timing of their appearance: it was during the guard switch so the gates weren't guarded allowing them to slip out the gates, assuming they were within the gates to begin with, and there's the question of if human titans even age. Were not certain as to when the boy even gained titan abilities so there's no way to gage that. Titans themselves do not age, but would the human counterpart maintain their age? If they don't age it would be right to assume that the titans waited for humans to no longer fear the possibility of a titan attack."

"You've put a lot of thought into this," Levi comments. I sigh and run my fingers through my hair.

"I had a lot of time to think as I waited for the trial to finish, besides I've been looking for an explanation as to how they just disappeared and we couldn't track them. A titan as big as Colossal could be seen from miles away, but with the exceptions of when there were attacks on our walls we haven't had any sightings."

"Do you think they will go after Eren since he's like them?" I contemplate Levi's question. It's a good question and one I didn't really put much thought to.

"Depends on how their interactions are. Typically the size of a titan indicates power, but not with intelligence class. Size doesn't matter because they have brains so it's right to assume that they are all titans cladded as humans. If they are a community it would make sense for them to work together, but wither the community is within the original walls or outside it's hard to say without a better understanding of the titans cladded as humans developmental process and as to how they gain these powers. There is the possibility that they could be just a small group of trained titans instead of a large community since we have no idea what their numbers are." This oddly enough is a typical process of Levi's and mine. He will ask me a question and I ramble out the possibilities and go through my thought process out loud or written when possible so as to visually break it up. "Our best bet would be to capture one of the other intelligence that are part of the group plotting something against us."

"Tonight we will be having a meeting about the trip outside the walls. It's strictly captains and commander Erwin."

"I'm not either of those Levi, I don't think it would be wise to push our luck on my position here." Levi frowns at my statement but I smile lightly back at him. "You know my thoughts and if you need my thought process simply request me to join, I'll wait at the couch there." I point my chin to the couch against the wall of my room, the main reason I picked this room. Couches is Levi and my thing, we have our heart to hearts and most of our discussions on them as I lay my head on him, it's been this way since that first time I ever really approached Levi about anything. That one little moment took Levi and I from captain and subordinate to friends and rivals over killing titans.

Levi leaves the room and the two of us go our separate ways to finish cleaning the castle.

"Renia you should join us," Eld offers the seat next to him as I walk by with a plate of food in my hand.

"Not tonight, Eld. I have some work to go over." The group nods and the titan child just looks at me. I really want to look at him as the child he is, but he's a titan and all titans are evil.

"It has nothing to do with you. There's work that needs to be done and I have yet to unpack," I tell the titan child as I walk by. He knows I don't trust him or particularly like him because he's a titan. I'll be the first to kill him, but I will be the first to defend him if wrongly accused.

"Can I help you," he offers. I stop in my tracks, caught off guard by his question. He knows I don't like him why would he wasn't too spend time with me.

"Not tonight," I pause, "Eren. This is your night to get to know everyone. If I'm not finished before tomorrow or when you're done with you meal you can stop by. But prepare yourself because you won't like what you see." With that said I had off to my room. The group knows what I do and more than likely they will discourage him from coming.

When I enter my room I open my bag to grab my notepad and pencil to begin working. With this new development since I last had all of my things and a room to myself to space everything out in thought process there is much to get done. As I enjoy my food and tea I begin by drawing Eren both titan and human. I write down a list of several traits we have already learned, as well as information he devolved to us, with my own inferences.

A light knock on the door alerts me to the presence of someone.

"Tea," Levi informs me as he holds a fresh batch of tea up for me to see. I look around trying to find a place for Levi to put the tea. Almost all surfaces in my room are covered with papers, it bugs Levi but he also knows that it all had it's own organization system so he doesn't dare touch my papers.

"If you could take my dishes from dinner there will be room for the tea pot. Thanks."

"How do you plan on putting them up since it's stone here and not wood?" Levi asks while doing as I asked. Thankfully Levi understands and even appreciates my crazy thought system, enough to fight Hange over me.

"I swiped take from Center," I look up at Levi with a wicked gleam in my eyes. Tape is a rarity here that is greatly valued with high end good tea, but even more so because only Center has tape.

"How did you manage that?"

"I went in claiming to have been sent in by Erwin for our latest supply shipment we ordered when we picked this place. While the guy went on a goose hunt since it wasn't do in until two following days I grabbed half of their supply." Levi simply looks at me as I beam happily about my accomplishment. I have no intentions of telling the others what I did but I am quite proud of myself for pulling it off.

"So is he planning to come despite the warning?"

"Hange is keeping him about her research." I nod not expecting to see him tonight.

"I doubt he will come anyways. He knows I don't particularly like him and if he saw this I don't see things ending well."

"His heart is like ours. Once you explain he'd be helping you none stop."

"It would be a great asset. I'm looking forward to our experiments in a few days." I lean back with a sigh before grabbing a fresh cup of hot earl black tea. I may not be moving around and demanding a lot of my body by sitting here but this work is taxing on my mind.

"You should save the rest for later and get some sleep. I look at my bed and couch where my work and bags cover them.

"Can I crash with you tonight? I promise to have everything up, or at least enough to sleep by tomorrow night." I chuckle at my own statement.

"It wouldn't be the first time," Levi replies as he starts to leave my room. I follow him to the room right next door. "You'll take the bed, just shower and change into clean clothes." I nod my head and do just as he instructs. A half hour passes by the time I return to Levi's room. At this point he is at the meeting and I have the room to myself.

I lie down and stare up at the ceiling. I know Levi is right and that I need to get to know this kid and to some extent trust him, but how do you trust a person that contains what you dispose the most and dedicate your life to killing. I joined this regiment for the adventure and to put my skills to their best use, but now I'm here so that I can kill all titans and hopefully figure them out so that we could prevent them from taking anything more from me. This kid has the promise of doing that and according to Levi he wishes to do the same as me.

"If he just wasn't a titan," I mumble to myself.

"Erwin wants you opinion on the plan," Levi announces as he enters the room. I look up at him from the bed. There's not much light to be able to see him but what little light is coming from his torch I can tell something is upsetting Levi.

"You don't like this plan," I state walking up to him.

"You won't either."

"Do you think it is for the best?" Levi is unresponsive before finally mumbling a yes. I brace myself to enter this meeting based off of that information.

"Renia," Erwin greets at the sight of me.

"Why does this plan seem to upset people," I ask not even bothering to go through formalities. The only time I'm brought in is when a risky plan is thought up and they wish for someone else's opinion because even Hange is uncertain though judging by the lack of her appearance I'm guessing she's busy talking Eren's ear off.

"We agree with your idea of untrustworthy people entering out legion this upcoming recruiting and on our first mission outside the wall we want to weed them out. We know that this must have something to do with Eren's father's research and with Eren having the key, which means everyone will be after him. The perfect time to get him would be on our expedition by causing a major distraction. If everyone is uncertain as to his position then by wherever the attack takes place we can judge what group of people cannot be trusted." I nod my head.

"Everyone will be at a much higher danger level and knowing you you'll wish to capture the titan that will be attacking as well as those unloyal." Erwin nods back confirming my suspicions.

"I don't like it but it's the best plan out there with how short of time we have to price we should keep him. I say go for it, but make sure that no one outside this room knows anything about this."


	4. My Wall

Clean, believe it or not there is such a smell, filling my sense of smell as my mind began to enter the real world and wake me along with the rising sun greet me.

"Brat, get up." Levi's harsh tone called interrupting a rare moment of peace.

"I'll make it when I'm ready to get up," I protest not ready to leave the warm comfortable bed. Another norm for us. When we crash together Levi refers to me as a brat when he wants to make the bed or couch and I'm in it.

"Up," Levi snaps, his tone leaving no room for me to argue.

"Alright," I sigh getting up from the warm comfortable bed. Without a word I leave the room and Levi to grab my clothes and drag my feet towards the shower room.

Several showers were already running as I enter the massive room containing around thirty shower sectioned off by three walls and a curtain. I grab one at random, hang my clothes and towel over the shower rail, and turn the water on at full blast.

The water was warm and welcoming as it slides over my tired body. I knew that this mission set up was best under our time restraints and so many uncertainties, but I know the level of risks will be high which greatly upsets me. I groan in frustration while I bang the back of my head against the shower wall.

"Renia, what's wrong," Petra calls with a slight worried chuckle.

"Did things not go well last night with you and Levi? A lover's quarrel no doubt." I laugh as Oluo's comments. Everyone here is always giving me a hard time about Levi's and my 'relationship'.

"If it was only so simple," I tell them as I start to actually clean myself.

"Something you aren't allowed to disclose," Petra inquires. I nod though she can't see it.

"Yeah another one of those. Hey has anyone heard about that kid and if he plans to stop by?" I ask no one in particular.

"I intend to," I hear Eren call as a shower is turned off. I flush not expecting Eren to have heard any of that. "Levi wants me to check in with him and then I will be there to help you."

"On the left to Levi's room," I tell him, turning off my own shower. The front door clothes and I send a silent glare at the group.

"Why are you mentioning such things in front of him? He's way too impressionable and unaware of our dynamics to be saying stuff like that Oluo!" They all just laugh at my huff, not taking it seriously. The sad thing is this group is far too used to such banter. After so many years, exhibitions, and endless hours depending and trusting on each other, only having each other by our sides that they will never lay off on the oddities of our captain's and my relationship. I don't see it ever going anywhere since we are both so dedicated to our mission and I'm not even sure I feel that way about him or he I.

"It's OK, one day you two will admit your love for each other and when it happens Petra will run right into my arms. So hurry up on that!" I just laugh as I finish getting dressed and leave to grab my breakfast, allowing Petra to handle Oluo.

No one was yet eating breakfast so I grab my teapot and breakfast before heading to my room to finish my scratching and organizing layout so I begin to hang everything up. I wasn't sure what the kid could help me with, but I was sure I could figure something out.

A knock sounds on my door, alerting me to someone's presence.

"Yes," I call grabbing one of my many things of tape from my bags still sitting on what should be my bed.

"May I come in," Erens voice calls through the door. I hop over to the door to prevent him from opening it too far and ruining my system.

"Be careful when you come in. I'm just about done so I mostly need help hanging everything." I watch Eren's face as he just looks at all my scratches, notes, and various other things carefully placed in my room. He send lost and oddly amazed at the same time.

"What is all this," Eren breathes out.

"It's my thought process. I'm on Levi's squad, but I help a lot with Hange's squad as well as advisory." I explain grabbing several pieces of paper and sticking them up on my wall with a specific opportunistic decided by my lay out on the floor.

"I thought you were a tank, a rival for Levi. All of your stats say you are." I laugh at Eren's simple minded thought process.

"I am, but I also likes puzzles and hate not knowing anything. That's why I graduated with the ranking I did." I can hear the kid looking over my notes as I stick them all up. I can hear the sound of several papers being messed with as well.

"I'm in your notes, but you just learned of me." I turned towards him with narrowed eyes.

"You looked at where those are to be placed right?"

"Uh, what do you mean?" I sigh at the kid.

"You grabbed the pictures of you right?" Eren nods his head. "Tape them to the center of that wall. It's dedicated to you and other shifting titans."

"Renia," Eren calls just a few seconds later.

"Yes," I ask hanging up more of the left wall side.

"I know you don't really like me or trust me, but I hope you realize I want to help." I sigh as I place my papers down to look at Eren. I knew I should have expected something like this.

"Eren, how long have I served by Levi's side and been a soldier?"

"Seven years," he answers without hesitation.

"In those seven years do you have any idea how many people I have lost in that time?"

"No mama." I nod.

"Did you know I was on a different squad before I was assigned to Levi?" Most people didn't know this about me so I don't expect Eren to either. Hell unless you were in that mission you more than likely didn't know this about me.

"No. Why were you reassigned?"

"Everyone in my squad was eaten by titans. Now my squad leader never affected me, but that day I lost all of my friends from the academy, hand during the day and the other half when we were on the night shift. I was assigned to Levi's squad the following day after begging Levi to tell me how to get through the lost. Since that day I have lost 97 fellow soldiers. Some of them I was close to, others nowhere near to even liking." It hurt to talk about this, but Eren deserves an explanation so I push the emotions down and get through this.

"But I thought the others were part of Levi's squad." I shake my head.

"No, as close as we are with each other we have simply acquired them over time until two years ago when we gathered our last member. Even before Levi acquired them though, we were close."

"So you don't like me because I'm part titan." I nod but I shake my head.

"I don't like what you are because that titan within is what has taken almost everything from me and even though I like the person on the outside I'm not certain if I can trust the titan within. I will protect you and stand by you, but I will kill you in a heartbeat if you even start to get out of control."

"I respect that." Eren nods.

"Can you explain these to me as we hang them up?" I nod and smile as the two of us start to hang up my thought process.

Much to Levi's perdition Eren took an interest in what I had going on and even helped me add things to my walls. To call him a titan within human skin would be stupid and impossible at this point. He doesn't have control of his titan powers, but he is like Levi and me.

"Renia," Levi's crisp voice calls from my doorway. I turn with a smile beaming at Levi like none other.

"I didn't hear you come in Levi."

"I noticed," Levi comments dryly. "Jager, gallows, now." Eren jumps up to his feet, salutes, and leaves.

"You kept my charge all day," he states looking around.

"Sorry Levi, we got a little carried away. My wall is finished though and we added a lot to it." Levi looks around the room and all the color coordinated strings connecting the pages together. I on the other hand flop back and just carefully watch him with my eyes.

"This will be updated frequently with all the testing." I nod.

"I know. I'm looking forward to it." My smile broadens. "So many answers and the ability to end this all, Levi. It's all just at our fingertips."

"Renia," Levi calls again. I turn to him. "Get to bed."

"Levi, come lie with me," I suggest instead.

"Not on that dirty floor." I stand up and move to the couch. Levi joins me and I put my head on his lap with his arm around me. I begin to delve in with him about ask the developments from today while he listens playing with my long brown hair periodically switching to running his fingers along face or stomach.

"Levi," I call softly unsure as to what to say.

"Yes, Renia." Levi replies, I just place my hand on top of his hand resting half under my white tights.


	5. Statistics

I was in a really bad mood while typing this and I think it reflects greatly in my writing. I apologize now for that.

~Trisana

Ever since Eren's arrived I feel as if there's always something I'm being pulled in to do. Erwin seems to feel the need to run every plan he contemplates with me, figuring Hange to be too preoccupied with other matters, he even went so far as to drag me in with him as we evaluated the cadets over the murdered titans. I was beginning to feel as if he's made me his personal sidekick or something. Last I checked I'm on Levi's squad _not_ Erwin.

"So help me Erwin if that is you I will personally see to that the titans won't be the ones to kill you!" I shout to the person on the other side of my door that just knocked. I barely got to my room after almost a week of being strung along by the man I deserved a moment of peace on my own couch in my own room.

"No, it's me," a chuckling childish voice calls while opening the door to my room. I lift my arm from across my face to see Eren standing with a stack of papers.

"Here, take Levi's place, its weird lying on a couch without my man pillow." I Demand while lifting my head up so that he can slide in.

"Man pillow," Eren asks moving cautiously towards me. As soon as he gets close enough I pull him down and force him to sit on the couch in Levi's spot with my head on his lap, but it just felt weird. It's not like Eren had boney legs or that they were uncomfortable, they just didn't feel right which left me worming and swarming in an attempt to get comfortable.

"So what do you bring me today? This isn't from Erwin is it, because if it is I will send you back to him with a message as to where he can put it?" Eren chuckles at my statement while shaking his head and mumbling a no.

"Good, so who are they from," I ask taking the papers from him and going over them. The papers seemed to be notes and sketches but of what I couldn't figure out.

"They're from the tests ran the last few weeks while you've been busy with Erwin." I bolt upright and look at Eren with great disappointment.

"I missed all the fun? Please tell me you guys aren't done with the experiments yet?"

"Well the group is trying to come up with a way to get me to remember how I became a titan shifter to begin with and Levi is training me for the exposition coming up." I pout in greater disappointment. I wanted to help in the experiments and make my own observations and hypotheses.

"This is all the information and several sketches and ideas that the group has come up with! We think we've even figured out how to remove me without killing me!" I hear the kid but all I keep thinking about is while I was stuck with that bushy brow Erwin I missed out on the titan stuff.

"That stupid no good useless eyebrow! He knew how badly I wanted to be there and yet he took me from all of that!" I get up and match out of the room and head straight for his office where I knew I'd find him.

Without a knock in blind rage I bust through his door. He seemed happy to see me as he stopped busying himself with his stupid idiotically dangerous plan to look up at me with a smile, he was clearly oblivious of the anger seeping from me.

"One request, I had one request from you and that was to partake in the Eren Jager experiments which you promised me I'd be able to do even while helping you with your suicide mission! Yet, when I return I hear from him that I not only missed them, but that they are being postponed to train him for your suicide mission and that my thought process was written up by someone else!" In all my years here Erwin has never seen me so mad. I'm normally very well controlled and put together, but this is unacceptable. My thought process is mine and while I was annoyed at him earlier I still had something to look forward to.

"It took longer than I expected for us to be done." Erwin says calmly to my otherwise loud shouts.

"Took longer than you expected it to? Is that all you seriously have to say for yourself? You gave me your word, _commander_." I lean in close to him after closing the distance between the threshold and his desk in a blink of an eye. I was beyond pissed and Erwin was going to know about it.

"Sarkozi, clearly you are greatly upset. I think it would be best if you go cool off." He was still trying to be calm and collect which only served to anger me more. Could he not see how wrong he was and that this was not something that could be tolerated. When you give someone your word you stick by it and to do everything in your power to make it happen.

"Levi, perfect timing. Miss Sarkozi here needs to go cool off, can you take her to the training grounds?" Erwin instructs to Levi who was now standing somewhere behind me. I knew he was trying to use Levi to control me and do as he wishes, a tactic often used by all the higher ups here. Levi was just their safe go.

"Tch, come on brat. I was supposed to be heading to bed until I hear your voice screeching like a banshee."

"This isn't over," I tell Erwin darkly before turning around and storming off in the direction of the training grounds. I can hear Levi behind me and if it wasn't for him I probably would have continued with my shouting and potentially wind up hitting Erwin. Not like he hadn't done plenty of things to deserve it, plus Erwin needs to be slapped up against the head.

"You have better control than this," Levi comments. I know he was trying to figure out what the true reason for me to lose it was. Levi knows me better than to think that this sort of rage is from Erwin not keeping a promise that rage is saved for the battle field and normally burns just in my eyes.

"It's classified information that no one above commander has access to," I reply hating that I can't tell him. I hate that I have to keep secrets from him and that I'm practically planning everyone's death. I can't figure out a way without everyone, especially my only family having the greatest risk of being killed. 80% of the cadets will more than likely end up killed along with their leader. Everyone will die and it's all because I can't think of a way to save them.

"What part of it is making you so mad?" He asks trying to find a roundabout way of figuring out what my problem is.

"My uselessness," I admit trailing off. I plop down by the door of the indoor training grounds no longer having the energy to keep this up. I pull my knees up to my chest. "Please don't blame me for what happens out on the field or what happens shortly after that. Just know I've tried to have Erwin find the way with the least casualties and with the most likely way to work out in our favor, but there's so many variables which is why I wanted to be here for the experiments so that I can adjust the calculations in our favor. I trust Hange, but I also see things a lot differently than her. She sees things scientific and as facts while I see connections and hOw they could work and potential properties."

"Reina," Levi calls lightly and I turn my head to look at him. "I would never have blamed you."

"Our group has a 32% chance of making it out a live with a 100% of at least two people coming out severally injured and 94% chance at least one person will have a potentially fatal wound that will lead to death. All of these statistics I've calculated is from the above point of a standard expedition. Achieving the point of this expedition so that no lost lives are pointless cannot be done with lower percentages as far as I can plan it right now." Levi just stares at me, clearly uncertain as to what to do with this information and my actions. I've spewed percentages and calculations at him before, but not like this.

"I keep trying to formulate better plans, but we can't think of any other way. Too much is unknown about this forth shifter."

"What forth shifter?" Levi seems taken off guard by my slip up but can I really blame him. Last he knew there was one shifter with a prospect of two other.

"Colossal and Armored can only be shifters most likely working with the one that killed the two titans we captured. We can't pin it on anyone do to them using another person's 3DMG who died during the attempt to break the Wall Rose."

"The fault is on these shifters that turn their back on humanity," Levi growls darkly. I can't say what's going through his head, but I can sense the sudden anger fuming off of him.

"Levi," I stop for a moment feeling very drained suddenly as I come down from my burst of angered adrenaline. "Can I just sleep here? I don't want to move."

"You will not sleep on that dirty floor," he scoffs then proceeds to pick me up in his arm bridal style.

"I've missed our talks," I mumble sleepily while resting my head on his firm welcoming chest.

It always felt so right with Levi...


End file.
